Work of police officers commended

Expecting a larger than normal audience Thursday for the hearing of a drainage petition the county commissioners moved their session to the Willis building conference room. Sitting at a large table in the front of the room are, from left, Commissioners Barb Lewis, Jeff Benton and Gary Merrell.

D. Anthony Botkin | The Gazette

Delaware County Commissioners held Thursday’s session in the Willis Building to accommodate a larger audience, anticipating a crowd for the Norris Run drainage ditch hearing.

Major Jeff Balzer, Delaware County Sheriff’s Office, talked about this being National Police Week.

“In 1962 President John F. Kennedy sign a proclamation that designated May 15 as Peace Officer’s Memorial Day and the week in which that day falls as Police Week,” Balzer read from a prepared statement. “According to the Officer Down Page, nearly 23,000 law enforcement officers have suffered line of duty deaths in the United States since 1791.”

Balzer said one of the 835 fallen officers in Ohio is Delaware County Sheriff’s Deputy Rea Christian Horlocker who died in the line of duty July 3, 1924. He said that 50 officers have now given their lives in the line of duty since the beginning of 2017, including Kirkersville Police Chief Steven Disario.

“The intent of police week is not to focus on how these officers died; instead celebrate how they lived,” Balzer said. “But these sacrifices would be in vain without the partnership and support of government officials and the citizens we serve.”

Commissioners expressed their thanks for the work the law enforcement community does in Delaware County.

“Thank you major for coming today … we tend to take it for granted until a tragedy happens like this,” said Commissioner Barb Lewis. “You’re there all the time for us and I can’t thank you enough.”

Commissioner Jeff Benton opened the regular session.

“We’re holding the meeting at the Board Elections conference room because we are expecting a bigger crowd for the Norris Run ditch hearing at 10 o’clock this morning.”

Jennifer Walraven, clerk to the board, said she sent out over 40 letters for the drainage petition.

In other business commissioners:

• Heard from Bret Bacon, Delaware Soil and Water Conservation District conservation services coordinator, for a first hearing for the Norris Run drainage petition.

About a dozen residents attended with none voicing support or opposition to the project. Commissioners plan to hold a second hearing.

• Declared May as Building Safety Month in Delaware County.

Duane Matlack, Code Compliance County Building Official, said building inspectors are the silent defenders and the unknown guardians of law enforcement.

“Fires have declined dramatically over the decades,” Benton said. “It’s largely due to building codes, inspections and enforcements.”

“This software is used for all contact with every patient we see,” said Aaron Jennings, Delaware County EMS assistant chief. “On the back end, it’s used for cost recovery purposes as well as quality assurance.”

Jennings said the software is cloud based allowing for multiple licenses so it could be put on any device the department needs. Year one total cost for the license is $28,100.

• Approved the setting of bid dates to receive bids for the Sawmill Sanitary Sewer Extension Improvement Contract by the Delaware County Regional Sewer District.

“This is kind of the first phase to provide sewer to Sawmill Parkway,” said Mike Frommer, Regional Sewer District executive director. “It’s going to be connecting in Nelson Farms and running through some development land, across the railroad tracks, through the schools and around the bend, so to speak.”

• Approved a partial release and vacation of sanitary sewer easement for lot in the Heathers Golf Village of Liberty Township.

Expecting a larger than normal audience Thursday for the hearing of a drainage petition the county commissioners moved their session to the Willis building conference room. Sitting at a large table in the front of the room are, from left, Commissioners Barb Lewis, Jeff Benton and Gary Merrell.

http://aimmedianetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2017/05/web1_DSC_2811F-1.jpgExpecting a larger than normal audience Thursday for the hearing of a drainage petition the county commissioners moved their session to the Willis building conference room. Sitting at a large table in the front of the room are, from left, Commissioners Barb Lewis, Jeff Benton and Gary Merrell. D. Anthony Botkin | The Gazette

By D. Anthony Botkin

abotkin@aimmedianetwork.com

D. Anthony Botkin may be reached at 740-413-0902 or on Twitter @dabotkin.